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2

Goosander

(Mergus merganser)
Alternate name(s): Race "americanus": "Common Merganser"
German name(s): "Gänsesäger"

Size: 58-72 cm; wing span 78-97 cm
Weight: 0.9-2.1 kg

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Goosander (Common Merganser) at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "merganser"

ADULT

MALE

BREEDING

Lateral view of a male Goosander in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Lateral view of a male Goosander in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Lateral view of a male Goosander in breeding plumage; note how, depending on the angle of the impinging sunlight, the bill can look black (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

NON-BREEDING

Covey of male Goosanders in various stages of moulting from breeding plumage into eclipse
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Lateral view of a male Goosandr moulting into non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Goosander (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, April 2017]

PAIR

Pair of Goosanders; male in breeding plumage on the left, female on the right (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, April 2017]

Pair of Goosanders; male in breeding plumage on the left, female on the right (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, April 2017]

Female Goosander, right, with two males in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Eltville and Ruedesheim, Germany, February 2023]

Small covey of Goosanders; males in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Eltville and Ruedesheim, Germany, February 2023]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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